01/06/2026
Dear friends and family,
I am announcing the closing of my store in the Old Market, IRON DECOR AND MORE. It’s been an epic 24 years! The wholesale business is NOT closing. Here’s the story:
From Layoff to Passion: How One Entrepreneur Turned a Post-9/11 Setback into a 24-Year Business Success
OMAHA, NE – In the uncertain months following 9/11, when the commercial real estate market came to a standstill and I lost my job as a property manager, I faced a choice: wait for the world to reopen or create something new.
I chose the latter.
With a single contact for Mexican metal decor and pottery, I had an idea no one else seemed to be pursuing in the local market: a store focused on outdoor products from Mexico. The big question was whether it would actually sell.
I approached the owners of Ted & Wally’s Ice Cream and asked if they would temporarily give up their storage space. After some convincing, they agreed. I declined to sign a lease, still unsure if the concept would work.
With $2,500 in my pocket, I headed to Mexico in my Chevy station wagon and a 4x8 trailer. It wasn’t enough money to properly launch a store—but it was enough to test the idea. The products sold almost immediately. Some pieces never even made it inside the store; customers bought them straight off the sidewalk as I unloaded the trailer.
What started as a sparse, humble storefront steadily grew. I made many more trips to Mexico, and the business continued to expand. Just weeks after opening, a retailer walked in and asked to carry the merchandise in his own store. That moment changed everything. I borrowed money from friends and maxed out credit cards, rented a larger trailer and truck, and returned to Mexico. By the end of that first year, I had my first wholesale customer.
Twenty-four years later, the ride has been nothing short of incredible. The wholesale division remains strong and continues to grow, while the retail side has become a beloved local destination. Ted & Wally’s owners have been wonderful partners throughout this journey, and they are now expanding their kitchen into the space I once shared.
This business would not exist without the support of my beloved loyal customers—many of whom have been with me for years. Thank you for your support and for making this dream possible. It’s time to reinvent myself again!
